Liquid-measuring apparatus



Mar. .3. 1925,

J. FLl-:cKE'NsTElN LIQUID MEASURING APPARATUS 'Filed May 25. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet Mar. 3. 1925.

J. FLECKENSTEIN 'LIQUID MEASURING APPARATUS Filed May25, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 51400/141201 j c/son Heckewlfez/'n I4/@Wemag Patented Mar. 3, 1925.`

11,528,539 ieAlirEN-'r carrer.

hJACKSON FLECKENSTEIM or GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, AssIGNoR To .FLECKEN- 'STEIN'VISIBILE"GASOMIYIER- Co. or MICHIGAN, or GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, 'A

LIQUIDl-MESURING APPARATUS.

To '.uZZmlkmn-.it mayiaoncem .#Be .it kno-Wn Ithat 1I, .JACK-son FLECNEN- STEIN, afcitizenioftthe United States, residing-:atGrand Rapidsinithe'county of lient and CState fof'Mifehigan, have .invented certain new .and .nseful Improvements in Liquid-Measuring riALpp'aratus; and I. `do hereby rdecfl'are lthe .following to be a full, clear, and exact-:description of the invention, such as Will enable ethersfslrilled in the art to -which Lit Iappertains to .make and use the same. l

.This invention .relates tor. improvements in liquid measuring 'apparatuafand more yparticularly to f such sas lare especially adapted to the ideliveryof:hydrofcarbonJ and similar fluidi-fuel.

.The .object inlvievv is the rapid, accurate and eflicentvisualmeasuring land dispensing .of :such fuel, and ra 'further Vobject is the provision of vineansfor easily and quickly correcting error in measurement incident to Variabl'e-fconditions, While Vinsuring against unauthorized `vari-ation in such :measure-V ment.

With these :and further .objects in view as lwill in ipart hereinafter .becomeap p arent and ,in :part tbe stated, the '-.invention .coin prises kcertain znovel constructions, combinations `and iarrangenrents `of aparts as subsequentlyA specified vand claimed.

In .the accompanying drawings,-

.Figure `1: is! a fragmentary, `sidet elevation of an'apparatus embodyingthe features of the y present invention.

:FigureQ isa'vertical sectiontaken on the plane `indicatedby line Q-Qof Figure l.

Figure isa Afragmentary plan view.

Fig-ure .4Q is an enlarged detail fragmentary perspective showing theseal.

Figure 5 Aisa transverse section taken on the plane indicated by line 5-5 of FigureQ.

Figure 6 is a view similarto Figure 9 of a slightly modified embodiment.

Figure 7 is a transverse section-taken on the plane indicated by `line `7-7 Vof Figure 6.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, l indicates a transparent cylinder, preferably of glass, closed at its bottom end by a plate 2 and at its upper by a plate 3, and provided Witli supply and exhaust pipes and an overflow pipe of the type lniovvn in this VThe pointers or indicators a i920, serial No. 384,144;

in my co-pen'ding application Serial No 210,445., filed January 5, 1918, andcovering improvements in liquid measuringand dispensing apparatus.

Arrangedpreferably.exteriorly of the cylinder or containerl isa rod d lWliielifis-p1eferablyscreiv-threaded substantially throughout its length. The rod l has its lower end stepped into a recess or socket inthe plate 2, and the-upper end oftherod'textends through an aperture 6 in pl'ate. 'Threaded onto the rod 4t arepointerseor indicators?, r. hach indicator 7 may-be made nranyof numerous Ways so longfas it isadjustably sustained by some form of threaded engagement or contact With the rodk el. Preferably, however, each pointer `7 consist-s ofa plate tapered to an indicatingypoint 7 and having laterally extending ears 7, 7 formed `with threaded apertures through which the rod 4 is screwed. Eaohpla-te 7 is curvedtto conform to the curvature of the Wall of cylinder l and may be provided with a point 7 at each end, it being understood, of course, that each point 7 is tobe located-'coincident With 'the liquid level Within the container fora predetermined qu'antity of liquid. AThe severalpointers'or plates 7 are preferably provided with indicia or appropriate legends announcing .the quantity ofy liquid contain ed when thelevel reaches-the line ofthe point or points 7 of 'the particular pointer 7.

7 `may be an ranged insuch numbers and variations of size as to indicate Whole numbers and fractional quantities, as, for example, Agallons and half gallons, or any other divisions ac.- cordingto the need or desire-of the particular user.

It will be recognized, of course, thatfthe primarybut son'iewliat superficial use of the indicators 7 is to show to the consumer, tio Whom the liquid fuel is being dispensed, the quantity being delivered, but a further and more important use is to enable official inspection and maintenance of standard Conditions. Tolthis end, aseal isprovided for preventing unauthorized adjustmentof the pointers 7. This seal may take any of various forms, one of the simplest and more efficient being shown and consisting of a nut S threaded on rod d near the upper end thereof and arranged beneath the plate 3,

the nut 8 being formed with a series ot apertures 8 and the upper end of rod 4 which projects above the upper surface ot plate 3 being formed with an aperture 4', and a sealing wire 9 being passed through the aperture 4 and one ot the apertures 8 and having' its ends secured by the usual oliicial seal 10.

IVhen the present improved dispensing apparatus is marketed, it is care-fully calibrated so that the pointers 7 register accurately, but it in mounting the container or by subsequent accident or otherwise it assumes al slightly angular position, the calibration may thereby be rendered inaccurate, as the liquid level could be thus raised at one point and lowered at a dlametrically opposite point. The inspector or other authorized official observing the discrepancy will not lind it necessarv, as has happened with previously known types ot indicators, to condemn the entire apparatus and cause it to be discarded at great loss, but all he will need to do will be to break the seal 10, make a readjustment and place the apparatus under ay new seal. To eli'ect the readjustment, it is only necessary to remove the wire` 9, rotate the nut 8 until it is backed down the rod 4 a distance sul'licient to enable the rod: to have its lower end lifted Yfrom the socket 5 and the rod thus treed tor withdrawal, and att-er withdrawal to rotate the several pointers T about the rod to whatever extent and in whatever direction may be necessary for accurate calibration under the new conditions. After the readjustment has been made, the upper end otl the rod 4 is introduced in the opening 6 from beneath plate 3 and the lower end oli the rod is dropped into socket 5. Then the nut S is screwed back up into contact with the under surface ot plate 3, a wire is threaded through apertures 4 and 8, and a seal is applied to the ends of the wire to prevent unauthorized removal thereof. Several apertures S are preferably provided to taciliate adjustment of nut 8.

In some cases it is required to provide a. gauge within the container, and in that event a duplicate of the exterior gauge just described is provided, preferably in addition to the exterior gauge as seen in the embodiment shown in Figure 6. In this moditied embodiment, a socket 5EL upstands troni the inner surface ot plate 2a and a threaded rod 4u is stepped into the socket 5 and has its upper end portion extending through the aperture in a bracket 1l projecting :trom the upper plate 3a within the transparent cylinder la. Indicators 7a similar in construction and arrangement to indicators 7 are threaded onto rod 4a. A retaining nut 8 is arranged on rod 4tl just beneath bracket 11 and is sealed for retaining the rod against adjustment in the same manner as the sealing of rod 4.

Since it would be undesirable and require a great deal ot labor and loss of time to disconnect pipes and other parts to enable removal of the plate 3 (or 3) and as access to the interior of the transparent cylinder is desirable to enable cleansing of the cylinder and also to enable adjustment of the indicators 7, I torni plate 3 with a hand-hole or aperture l2 sealed by a plate 13 held in place by cap screws 14 threaded into plate 3. The heads of screws 14 are apertured and a sealing wire 15 is passed therethrough and has its ends secured by an otlicial seal 16.

That is claimed is 1. In liquid measuring apparatus, the combination, with a container, of indicators extending adjacent the vertical wall of the container and conforming generally to the contour of and at points engaging said wall for being held thereby against lateral movement, a support for the indicators removably carried by the container and adapted for simultaneous adjustment of all of said indicators, the indicators having an engagement with the support adapted to enable independent adjustment of each indicator, the independent adjustment being prevented by the engagement ot the indicatorsr with the container wall, and means tor sealing the support against movement.

2. In liquid measuring apparatus, the. combination, with a. transparent cylinder and end plates closing the cylinder, of a threaded rod extending along the cylinder', removably stepped into a portion of one ot the plates at one end ot' the rod and extending through the other plate at the other end or' the rod, indicators for showing the quantity contained in the cylinder, a projection extending from each indicator and having a threaded aperture and threaded onto the rod, each indicator being proportioned to engage the cylinder and be prevented by the cylinder from having rotational movement on the rod, and means tor sealing the rod against movement.

In testimony whereotl I affix my signature in presence ot two witnesses.

JACKSON FLECKENSTEIN lllitnesses EDGAR M. KrroHIN, CHRISTIE H. FEsLEu. 

